Petunia plant named ‘Kerminiblue’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Petunia  plant named ‘Kerminiblue’, characterized by its outwardly spreading to trailing growth habit; freely branching habit; early and freely flowering habit; dark violet blue-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Petunia×hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Kerminiblue’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Petunia,botanically known as Petunia×hybrida and hereinafter referred to by thename ‘Kerminiblue’.

The new Petunia plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventors in Over, Cambridge, United Kingdom. Theobjective of the breeding program is to create new trailing Petuniacultivars with dark violet blue-colored flowers.

The new Petunia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventors in August, 2005 in Over, Cambridge, United Kingdom of aproprietary selection of Petunia×hybrida identified as code number05-227-1, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with aproprietary selection of Petunia×hybrida identified as code number05-227-3, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Petuniawas discovered and selected by the Inventors as a single flowering plantwithin the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlledgreenhouse environment in Over, Cambridge, United Kingdom in May, 2006.

Asexual reproduction of the new Petunia plant by terminal cuttings in acontrolled greenhouse environment in Over, Cambridge, United Kingdomsince September, 2006, has shown that the unique features of this newPetunia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Petunia have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature andlight intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Kerminiblue’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Kerminiblue’ as a new and distinct cultivar ofPetunia:

-   -   1. Outwardly spreading to trailing growth habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit.    -   3. Early and freely flowering habit.    -   4. Dark violet blue-colored flowers.    -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the female parentselection. Plants of the new Petunia differ from plants of the femaleparent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia are more trailing than and not as        upright as plants of the female parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Petunia are larger than plants of the        female parent selection.    -   3. Plants of the new Petunia have smaller flowers than plants of        the female parent selection.    -   4. Plants of the new Petunia and the female parent selection        differ in flower color as plants of the female parent selection        have blue-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the male parentselection. Plants of the new Petunia differ from plants of the maleparent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia have smaller flowers than plants of        the male parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Petunia have single flowers whereas plants        of the male parent selection have semi-double flowers.

Plants of the new Petunia can also be compared to plants of the Petunia‘Conviolet’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,510. In side-by-sidecomparisons conducted in Over, Cambridge, United Kingdom, plants of thenew Petunia differed from plants of ‘Conviolet’ in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia were more freely branching than        plants of ‘Conviolet’.    -   2. Plants of the new Petunia had shorter leaves and leaf        petioles than plants of ‘Conviolet’.    -   3. Plants of the new Petunia were more freely flowering than        plants of ‘Conviolet’.    -   4. Plants of the new Petunia and ‘Conviolet’ differed in flower        color as plants of ‘Conviolet’ had lighter violet-colored        flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Petunia plant, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Petunia plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view oftypical plants of ‘Kerminiblue’ grown in a hanging basket container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of typical flowersof ‘Conviolet’ (top) and ‘Kerminiblue’ (bottom).

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown in Over, Cambridge, United Kingdom,under commercial practice during the summer in a glass-coveredgreenhouse with day temperatures ranging from 18° C. to 28° C., nighttemperatures ranging from 14° C. to 20° C. and light levels averaging 50kilolux. Rooted young plants had been growing for four months when thephotographs and description were taken. Plants were pinched one timebefore planting. In the following description, color references are madeto The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, exceptwhere general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Petunia×hybrida ‘Kerminiblue’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Petunia×hybrida identified as code No. 05-227-1, not            patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Petunia×hybrida identified as code No. 05-227-3, not            patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About ten days at            temperatures of 21° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About two weeks at            temperatures of 21° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 30 days            at temperatures of 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 45 days            at temperatures of 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Moderately free branching; moderately dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Outwardly spreading to trailing            growth habit. Freely branching habit with about 16 lateral            branches developing per plant. Moderately vigorous growth            habit.        -   Plant height.—About 39 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 73 cm.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—About 44 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 3 mm.        -   Internode length.—About 2.9 cm.        -   Aspect.—Initially outwardly spreading to trailing.        -   Texture.—Slightly pubescent.        -   Color.—Close to 144B.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Before flowering, alternate, simple; after            flowering, opposite, simple.        -   Length.—About 4.4 cm.        -   Width.—About 2.9 cm.        -   Shape.—Elliptic.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Acute.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper surface.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Texture, lower surface.—Slightly pubescent.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137B.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 146A. Fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A; venation,            close to 144C. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close            to 146B; venation, close to 144B.        -   Petiole length.—About 2 mm.        -   Petiole diameter.—About 1.8 mm.        -   Petiole texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Slightly            pubescent.        -   Petiole color, upper and lower surfaces.—Close to 144A.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Single-type salverform            flowers; singly arising from leaf axils. Freely flowering            habit with usually about 69 flowers developing per plant.            Flowers face mostly outwardly.        -   Fragrance.—Slightly fragrant, pleasant.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower continuously during            the summer in the United Kingdom.        -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about five days on            the plant; flowers persistent.        -   Flower diameter.—About 6.5 cm.        -   Flower throat diameter.—About 1 cm.        -   Flower tube length.—About 3 cm.        -   Flower tube diameter (base).—About 3 mm.        -   Flower bud.—Shape: Ovoid. Length: About 4.4 cm. Diameter:            About 7 mm. Color: Close to 90A.        -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Five petals fused at the base and            opening into a flared trumpet. Petal length from throat:            About 3 cm. Petal lobe width: About 3 cm. Petal shape:            Spatulate. Petal apex: Cuspidate. Petal margin: Entire.            Petal texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.            Throat texture: Smooth, glabrous. Tube texture: Pubescent.            Color: Petals, when opening and fully opened, upper surface:            Close to more purple than 89A; color becoming closer to 89A            with development; venation, close to 202A becoming closer to            79A at the margins. Petals, when opening and fully opened,            lower surface: Close to 87A; venation, close to 79A. Flower            throat: Darker than 89A; venation, darker than 79A. Flower            tube: Close to 79A; venation, close to 144B occasionally            overlain with close to 79A.        -   Calyx.—Arrangement: One star-shaped calyx tube with five            sepals fused at the base per flower. Sepal length: About            1.6 cm. Sepal width: About 5 mm. Sepal shape: Narrowly            oblong. Sepal apex: Obtuse. Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal            texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color,            immature and mature, upper surface: Close to 141A. Color,            immature and mature, lower surface: Close to 143A.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 4 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.            Angle: About 45° from the stem axis. Strength: Strong.            Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 143B; distally, overlain            with close to 177B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: Five per flower.            Anther shape: Oblong. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther            color: Close to 84D. Pollen amount: Abundant. Pollen color:            Close to 198D. Pistils: Quantity: One per flower. Pistil            length: About 1.7 cm. Style length: About 1.5 cm. Style            color: Close to 145C; distally, overlain with close to 86A.            Stigma shape: Oval. Stigma color: Close to 144B. Ovary            color: Close to 145A. Seed/fruit: Seed and fruit development            have not been observed on plants of the new Petunia.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Petunia have been observed to    have good garden performance and tolerate wind, rain and    temperatures ranging from about 4° C. to about 40° C.-   Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Petunia have not been    observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Petunia.

1. A new and distinct Petunia plant named ‘Kerminiblue’ as illustratedand described.